Coast Guard Crews Rescue Man from Mountainside

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U.S. Coast Guard

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter rescued a man who fell over 100-feet from a mountainside in Yauco, Puerto Rico Tuesday afternoon.

Coast Guard Watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a request for assistance from Yauco Municipal Police for a Coast Guard rescue helicopter to hoist the 60-year-old man, who reportedly sustained multiple injuries after being kicked-off the side of a mountain while handling a goat.

"Our junior co-pilot did an outstanding job working with an experienced flight mechanic and rescue swimmer to maneuver the helicopter in close proximity to the steep terrain in order to complete this demanding rescue,” said Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Dill, Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircraft commander. “It is a testament to the standardization and quality of our unit's training program and the professionalism of our watch standers that we were able to work together to save this man's life."

The crew of the Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-65 Dolphin helicopter arrived on scene and deployed their rescue swimmer to receive the injured man from local emergency management rescue crews. The man was stabilized and hoisted from the mountain side, embarked aboard the Coast Guard helicopter and transported to a nearby baseball field, where he was transferred to awaiting Emergency Medical Service personnel. The patient was transported to a Yauco hospital to receive further medical care.